Adjustable and collapsible skirt blocker



July 5, 1938.

A. F. MASCHKE ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE SKIRT BLOCKER Filed July 7,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 5, 1938- A. F. MASCHKE 2 ADJUSTABLE ANDCOLLAPSIBLE SKIRT BLOCKER Filed July '7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Shun/wenPatented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE ANDCOLLAPSIBLE SKIRT BLOCKER 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an adjustable and collapsible skirt blockerand has for an object to provide an adjustable frame on which clean andwashed skirts may be stretched to the proper size,

and which will maintain the skirt in the proper size both as to width aswell as to length, while the skirt is drying, thus insuring proper fitof the skirt after it has completely dried.

' A further object of this invention is to provide an'adjustable framewhich may be easily collapsed so as to occupy a minimum amount of spacewhen stored away out of use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprisesthe constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafterclaimed, disclosed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure '1 is an elevational end View of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, '4 and 5 are each sectional views on line 3-3, 44 and 55 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on line I-'I of Fig. 3,

and

Fig. -8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 1. The average skirt isapproximately ten inches larger around the hips than around the waist,and the skirt blocker of this invention is therefore shaped with thisfact in mind. It consists generally of a pair of vertical frame members,each vertical frame member being made of two pieces hinged to each otherand three pairs of cross members for adjustably securing the verticalframe members together. In order to more clearly describe the invention,the preferred dimensions and preferred materials will be particularlyspecified, but in so doing it is not intendl0 ed to limit the inventionto the particular dimensions or the particular materials, except asnecessitated by the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The skirt blocker III of this invention includes ii the upper verticalframe member II, the lower vertical frame members I2 pivoted thereto asat I3, the upper cross bars I4 the mid cross bars I5, and the lowercross bars I6.

Each of the frame members and cross bars to will preferably be made ofwood. although other suitable materials may be substituted therefor. Thevertical frame members II and I2 may be made from wood approximatelythree-fourths of an inch by one and one-half inches, while the 55 crossbars I4, I5 and I6, are each preferably made of wood, three-fourths ofan inch, by one inch.

The frame members I I are each approximately seventeen and one-fourthinches long. The upper six inches of the frame member II is pro- 5 videdwith a dove slot II approximately one inch from the inner side, andholes I 8 to receive threesixteenth inch bolts spaced approximately oneinch apart are placed about five-eighths of an inch from the inner edgeof this straight section T0 of this upper vertical frame member. Thelower end of this upper frame member II is curved or offsetapproximately two and one-half inches as at I9 to provide for thegreater width of the hips over the waist line and-ends in a pendent 20which 115 cooperates with the dowel pin I3 for hinging it to the lowervertical frame member I2. The upper end of the lower vertical framemember I2 is mortised as at 2| to receive the pendent "20 therein. Thislower vertical frame member 12 go is approximately thirty-three andthree-fourths inches long, and has a slot one inch deep as at 22extending along its inner edge similar to the slot I'I. Bolt holes '23similar in size and location to bolt holes I-8 are spaced approximatelyone 25 inch apart along the lower vertical frame member I2 as shown.

The upper cross bars I4 are approximately nine inches long. The midcross bars I5 are each approximately fifteen and one-half inches long,and the lower cross bars I6 are each approximately fifteen and one-halfinches long. One piece of each pair of cross bars is tongued as at 24 toslide in a groove 25 formed in the other piece. The total length of theassembled cross bars may be 35 lengthened by sliding the bars alongtheir tongues and grooves and by securing each cross bar by means ofbolts 26 and wing nuts 21 inserted through bolt holes 28' extendingvertically through each cross bar member. The bolt holes 28 arepreferably spaced 1" apart along the length of the bars, although, ifdesired. the holes may be more closely arranged so as to provide a fineradjustment.

Each end of each piece of the cross bar members I4 and I6 is providedwith a metal tongue 28 mortised therein as at 29 and riveted thereto asat 30. The curved or offset ends of the tongues 28 are provided withbolt holes 3| through which the bolts 32 may extend, the bolts 32 beingplaced r0 through the bolt holes I8 and 23 in the vertical frame membersII and I2, and being secured thereto by means of wing nuts 33.

Tongues 34 similarly secured to the ends of the middle cross bar piecesas at 35 are provided are secured along the lower edges. A narrow tapemember 38 is secured along the upper edges of the lower piece of thecross bar member M on opposite sides, while a wide tape member 39 issimilarly secured along the upper edge of the upper piece of the crossbar M on opposite sides, as shown in Fig. 5. The width of the tape 39 issuch that it may completely overlap the lower tape 38.

Similar tape members are secured on the lewer edges of the lower crossbar member I6 in this case, the wider piece being secured to the loweredge of the lower piece and the narrower piece being secured to thelower edge of the upper piece.

In operation, this skirt blocker is especially intended for use as aframe for blocking knitted and crocheted skirts, but may likewise beused for drying wool skirts and any other type of skirt which tends toshrink while drying and being cleaned. The size of the frame will beadjusted according to the width of the skirt at the waist, hips, andlower ends, by appropriately adjusting the combined lengths of thepieces of the cross bar members l4, l and IS.

The length of the skirt from the waist line to the lower end will becompensated for by vertically raising or lowering the cross bar membersI 3 and Hi to the proper distance from each other along their bolt holesl8 and 23. After thus properly adjusting the frame te fit the size ofthe skirt, the skirt is placed over the frame, and then the waist linepinned to the tapes 38 and 39 on the upper cross bar l4, while the lowerend of the skirt is pinned to the tape members on the lower cross bar16. Thus, as the skirt dries, it is maintained in its full size.

vertical frame members prevent the skirt from shrinking in width, whilethe cross bars with the skirt attached prevents the skirt from shrinkingin length.

The skirt is thus blocked and dried and maintained in the proper sizeand shape at the same time.

Although particularly described as a skirt blocker, it will be obviousthat this blocker may likewise be used for blocking other articles ofclothing by suitably changing the size of the different members of theframe and cross bars, so that slip over sweaters, especially of thesleeveless type may just easily be blocked, and dried on this frame workby merely suitably adjusting it in the same manner that a skirt isblocked and dried, and even coat sweaters or other artieles may likewisebe blocked and dried thereon, and the term skirt blocker is not,therefore, intended to limit this invention to an article solely for usewith a skirt but rather to a locker for use with any suitable article ofclothing which may be used thereon in the manner heretofore described.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatis claimed is:

A blocking frame for garments comprising a pair of vertical framemembers and a plurality of adjustable cross members for holding saidvertical frame members in spaced apart position, each of said verticalframe members including an upper and a lower portion pivoted together,each ef said lower portions having a slot extending longitudinally alongthe inner face thereof and spaced transverse apertures intersecting saidslots, said cross members being each tongued and grooved for adjustmentas to length, means for maintaining each crcss member in its adjustedposition, and means carried by each of said cross members for pivotallyconnecting same to said vertical members, means for adjusting said crossmembers vertically along said vertical members, said last mentionedmeans comprising bolts insertable through the apertures in said verticalmembers.

ARTHUR F. MASCHKE.

